Students from M.S. 201 Star Academy are carrying around special backpacks for the month of May to help New York University researchers.

The researchers are wrapping up a five year study investigating the effects of pollution on children with asthma. The backpacks have filters and monitors that measure the amount of pollution in the air. The students are also required to keep logs of their activities, asthma symptoms and medicines.

M.S. 201 Star Academy is the last of four south Bronx schools to participate in the backpack study. Researchers hope to have the results out by October.